Trouble with 'Classic Records' pressings?

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Dave the bass
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#1 Trouble with 'Classic Records' pressings?

Post by Dave the bass »

Has anyone else here had any problems with LP's from 'Classic Records' of the USA?

For a Christmas pressie I had a swanky copy FZ's Hot Rats on 200gm Quiex virgin vinyl, it's been mastered by Bernie Grundman and 'Okd' by the Zappa estate... so you'd think it's got a lot going for it wouldn't you?

Well, soundwise it's brill, really brill, Side 1 plays well (aside from the warp!) BUT side 2 has been pressed eccentric! It's not a hole punched off centre as side 1 is concentric. This is the 2nd copy I've had of this, I sent the first back after explaining the problem to the seller (who is an is an Audiophile online dealer and has been fine to deal with) but tonight woe is me... this 2nd replacement copy that arrived today is doing the same but worse, it's even got a warp too. My 103 thinks it's gone to Blackpool to ride the big dipper... look!
Image

Thats not right is it.

Anyone else had problems with pressings from this company?

It's gotta go back again :-( FZ deserves better and so do I, it was about £26 n all!

DTB
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Graeme
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#2

Post by Graeme »

Thats piss poor, i'd deffo be sending that back!
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The Stratmangler
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#3

Post by The Stratmangler »

I've got a couple of Classic pressings, and they are excellent (Santana - Supernatural, and David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name).

These are both pre Super Quiex, and are 180 gramme pressings.

I'm surprised that your record managed to get through QC - at the prices you pay for Classics' pressings you'd quite rightly expect more care to be taken.

Chris :)
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The Stratmangler
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#4

Post by The Stratmangler »

Just watched the vid - that is very alarming !!

Chris :(
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pre65
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#5

Post by pre65 »

Get yourself a proper arm that tracks !! :wink: :wink:
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Mike H
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#6

Post by Mike H »

Someone at the factory needs a boot up the wotsit

Can't get the staff y'know, that's what it is

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Will
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#7

Post by Will »

Quiex 200g its not warped but it sounds crap and surface noise is shocking.
Never again!!

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Dave the bass
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#8

Post by Dave the bass »

Ooo, a mixed bag then these reissues on 'Classic Records'. Surface noise on this copy is fine Will but the warps and alarming miss-press on side 2 isn't, the keyboards change pitch widly!

I'm sensitive to pitch change it seems, It's like a steering wheel on me testicles....

...its driving me nuts.

DTB
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floppybootstomp
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#9

Post by floppybootstomp »

I read that when Zappa realised he only had a certain amount of time left before the prostate cancer killed him he spent his last days remixing and remastering many of his albums.

Hot Rats was one of those but from what I've read it came out worse for the experience and I've read that earlier 'unmessed with' copies are preferred.

A longa longa longa time ago, before the rain, before the snow, I bought a copy of Abbey Road for £14.50, must have been around '79/80. It professed to be 'An audiophiles dream' and was 'an Original Master Recording'.

£14.50 was almost three times what you'd pay for a 'normal' album then.

I couldn't hear any difference whatsoever between my super duper copy and a normal copy.

Furthermore, the output level from this so-called audiophiles dream' was considerably lower than most vinyl albums.

I still have it, albeit now with a few scratches, and it still sounds decidedly normal.

Never again.
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Dave the bass
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#10

Post by Dave the bass »

floppybootstomp wrote:
A longa longa longa time ago, before the rain, before the snow,
Sir Psycho sexy...thats iz me.... etc etc :D

S'pse it depends on what you were running TT-wise at the time whether or not you might hear a difference. Possblee.

I've got a couple of Mobile Fidelity LP's which i think are gorgeous sounding, Alan Parsons produced 'Modern Times' and 'Year of the Cat' by Al Stewart are superb (IMHO). Yes, they're cut a smidge quieter than the standard issues but the groove noise is massively lower to my ears. These are 1970's MoFi copies which were pressed in Japan IIRC.

Bring that copy of Abbey Road round Tone, I bet it plays better than Julies original copy of it, jam and oil paint on the surface didn't help its sonic abilities or the fact the inner sleeve has gone walkies...

Just been corresponding with the vendor, he's checking it before sending out another copy which means breaking the seal. Good on him.

DTB
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The Stratmangler
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#11

Post by The Stratmangler »

Dave the bass wrote:I've got a couple of Mobile Fidelity LP's which i think are gorgeous sounding, Alan Parsons produced 'Modern Times' and 'Year of the Cat' by Al Stewart are superb (IMHO). Yes, they're cut a smidge quieter than the standard issues but the groove noise is massively lower to my ears. These are 1970's MoFi copies which were pressed in Japan IIRC.


I believe that the vinyl used in those Japanese pressings was actually developed for use as video storage - bizarre as it may seem (now) to use a record to store video information.
Dave the bass wrote:Just been corresponding with the vendor, he's checking it before sending out another copy which means breaking the seal. Good on him.

DTB
Who is the vendor Dave ? Diverse Vinyl ? They're good guys to deal with, and have replaced faulty items without quibble whenever I've had a problem.

You'd think my TT was in daily use from my replies, wouldn't you ? :lol:

Chris :D
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Dave the bass
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#12

Post by Dave the bass »

The Stratmangler wrote:
I believe that the vinyl used in those Japanese pressings was actually developed for use as video storage - bizarre as it may seem (now) to use a record to store video information.
Really? I didn't know that.
The Stratmangler wrote:Who is the vendor Dave ? Diverse Vinyl ? They're good guys to deal with, and have replaced faulty items without quibble whenever I've had a problem.
S'funny, I bought Vampire Weekends Debut from them on Sundee at the Audio Jumbly.

Online vendor is http://www.onlyvinyl.biz/ they've been very good to deal with, it's not their fault the (sealed) copies are faulty. Comms are VG.
The Stratmangler wrote:
You'd think my TT was in daily use from my replies, wouldn't you ? :lol:

Chris :D
Yeah! You get back to the 1's and 0's Delbert Digitools :D BTW, I used that EAC program again the other day, you'd be proud of me... ;-)

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The Stratmangler
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#13

Post by The Stratmangler »

Dave the bass wrote:Yeah! You get back to the 1's and 0's Delbert Digitools :D BTW, I used that EAC program again the other day, you'd be proud of me... ;-)

Snogs,

Albert Analogue.
Me TT is sat on the shelf disconnected at the moment. It's been that way since before Christmas :roll:

Del Digitools :D
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Greg
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#14

Post by Greg »

I've got at least 2 possibly 3 Classic Records so called Audiophile pressings. They all have flaws which I've never been happy with. Mainly intermitent and periodic loud surface noise like there's crap in the groove. I've cleaned on Okki Nokki to no effect. I now avoid Classic Records.
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Dave the bass
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#15

Post by Dave the bass »

Ta for the feedbacks Gents.

Well, it appears 'Classic records' has lost all its licenses and the name has now been sold... Oooer, so I'm told by another.

DTB
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